Alaska Libertarians won't change minds on Murkowski

Sen. Lisa Murkowski met with Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate David Haase on Tuesday to talk about taking his place and running on the Libertarian ticket. But Alaska Libertarian Party Chairman Scott Kolhaas said after the meeting that "I don't think it's happening."

Sen. Lisa Murkowski met with Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate David Haase on Tuesday to talk about taking his place and running on the Libertarian ticket. But Alaska Libertarian Party Chairman Scott Kolhaas said after the meeting that "I don't think it's happening."

The five-member executive committee of the Libertarian Party met Aug. 29 and unanimously voted against considering allowing Murkowski on its ticket. But Murkowski supporters still continued to push the potential Libertarian route following Murkowski's concession two days later that she had lost the Republican primary to Joe Miller.

Murkowski met with Haase in Anchorage on Tuesday in a meeting arranged by Murkowski supporters. The Murkowski campaign said she didn't know before showing up that Haase would be there.

For Murkowski to run as a Libertarian, Haase would have to step aside and the party would need to reverse its vote barring her from the ticket.

"It would be a serious flip-flop," party chairman Kohlhaas said. "And I don't think it's happening."

Murkowski did not respond to repeated requests for an interview from the Daily News. But she told The Associated Press she's not a quitter and is "still in this game."